The Gallaher Shield is awarded to the winner of the Auckland Rugby Union premier men's competition, and was first awarded in 1922. The shield is named in honour of Dave Gallaher, an early stalwart of Ponsonby, Auckland and New Zealand rugby. Ponsonby RFC are by far the most successful club in Auckland history, with 37 shield wins and 48 championships in total.
Current clubs
As of the 2026 season.
| Team |
Location |
Home ground |
|---|
| Auckland University |
St Johns, Auckland |
Colin Maiden Park |
| College Rifles |
Remuera, Auckland |
College Rifles Park |
| Eden |
Sandringham, Auckland |
Gribblehirst Park |
| Grammar TEC |
Ōrākei, Auckland |
Ōrākei Domain |
| Manukau Rovers |
Māngere, Auckland |
Williams Park |
| Marist |
Panmure, Auckland |
Mount Wellington War Memorial Park |
| Pakuranga United |
Pakuranga, Auckland |
Bell Park |
| Ponsonby |
Western Springs, Auckland |
Western Springs Stadium |
| Suburbs |
New Lynn, Auckland |
Shadbolt Park |
| Waitemata |
Henderson, Auckland |
Waitemata Park |
List of winners
The winners of the Auckland premier senior competition are listed below—including the winners for those years prior to the introduction of the Gallaher Shield in 1922:[1]
| Year |
Winner(s) |
| 1883 | Ponsonby (1) |
| 1884 | Ponsonby (2) |
| 1885 | Ponsonby (3) |
| 1886 | Grafton (1) |
| 1887 | Ponsonby (4) |
| 1888 | Grafton (2) |
| 1889 | Gordon (1) |
| 1890 | Ponsonby (5) |
| 1891 | Parnell (1), Ponsonby (6) |
| 1892 | Parnell (2) |
| 1893 | Parnell (3) |
| 1894 | Parnell (4) |
| 1895 | Grafton (3) |
| 1896 | City (1), Newton (1), Parnell (5) |
| 1897 | Ponsonby (7) |
| 1898 | Newton (2) |
| 1899 | North Shore (1) |
| 1900 | City (2) |
| 1901 | Grafton (4) |
| 1902 | City (3) |
| 1903 | City (4) |
| 1904 | Newton (3) |
| 1905 | City (5) |
| 1906 | City (6) |
| 1907 | City (7) |
| 1908 | Ponsonby (8) |
| 1909 | Ponsonby (9) |
| 1910 | Ponsonby (10) |
| 1911 | City (8) |
| 1912 | Marist (1) |
| 1913 | Ponsonby (11) |
| 1914 | University (1) |
| 1915 | Marist (2) |
| 1916 | University (2) |
| 1917 | Railway (1) |
| 1918 | University (3) |
| 1919 | College Rifles (1) |
| 1920 | Grammar (1) |
| 1921 | Grafton (5) |
| 1922 | Grammar (2) |
| 1923 | Marist (3) |
| 1924 | Ponsonby (12) |
| 1925 | Ponsonby (13) |
| 1926 | Ponsonby (14) |
| 1927 | Ponsonby (15) |
| 1928 | University (4) |
| 1929 | Ponsonby (16) |
| 1930 | Ponsonby (17) |
| 1931 | Grammar (3) |
| 1932 | Grammar (4) |
| 1933 | Marist (4), Ponsonby (18), University (5) |
| 1934 | Grafton (6) |
| 1935 | Technical (1) |
| 1936 | Ponsonby (19) |
| 1937 | Ponsonby (20) |
| 1938 | Ponsonby (21) |
| 1939 | Marist (5) |
| 1940 | Takapuna (1) |
| 1941 | Papakura Army (1) |
| 1942 | Motor Transport Pool (M.T.P.) (1) |
| 1943 | Garrison (1) |
| 1944 | University (6) |
| 1945 | Whenuapai (1) |
| 1946 | Grafton (7) |
| 1947 | Marist (6) |
| 1948 | Ponsonby (22) |
| 1949 | University (7) |
| 1950 | Marist (7) |
| 1951 | Grammar (5) |
| 1952 | University (8) |
| 1953 | Grammar (6) |
| 1954 | Ponsonby (23) |
| 1955 | University (9) |
| 1956 | Otahuhu (1), University (10) |
| 1957 | University (11) |
| 1958 | Waitemata (1) |
| 1959 | Otahuhu (2) |
| 1960 | Otahuhu (3) |
| 1961 | Otahuhu (4) |
| 1962 | Waitemata (2) |
| 1963 | Otahuhu (5) |
| 1964 | College Rifles (2) |
| 1965 | Otahuhu (6) |
| 1966 | University (12) |
| 1967 | Grammar (7) |
| 1968 | Manukau (1) |
| 1969 | Otahuhu (7) |
| 1970 | Grammar (8) |
| 1971 | University (13) |
| 1972 | Grammar (9) |
| 1973 | Manukau (2) |
| 1974 | University (14) |
| 1975 | Waitemata (3) |
| 1976 | Ponsonby (24) |
| 1977 | Suburbs (1) |
| 1978 | Ponsonby (25) |
| 1979 | Ponsonby (26) |
| 1980 | Takapuna (2) |
| 1981 | Ponsonby (27) |
| 1982 | Otahuhu (8) |
| 1983 | Ponsonby (28) |
| 1984 | University (15) |
| 1985 | Ponsonby (29) |
| 1986 | Ponsonby (30) |
| 1987 | University (16) |
| 1988 | Ponsonby (31) |
| 1989 | Marist (8) |
| 1990 | Ponsonby (32) |
| 1991 | Marist (9) |
| 1992 | Suburbs (2) |
| 1993 | Ponsonby (33) |
| 1994 | Marist (10) |
| 1995 | Ponsonby (34) |
| 1996 | Marist (11) |
| 1997 | University (17) |
| 1998 | Teachers Eastern (1) |
| 1999 | Teachers Eastern (2) |
| 2000 | Otahuhu (9) |
| 2001 | Ponsonby (35) |
| 2002 | Ponsonby (36) |
| 2003 | Waitemata (4) |
| 2004 | Ponsonby (37) |
| 2005 | Ponsonby (38) |
| 2006 | Ponsonby (39) |
| 2007 | Ponsonby (40) |
| 2008 | Ponsonby (41) |
| 2009 | Ponsonby (42) |
| 2010 | Ponsonby (43) |
| 2011 | Ponsonby (44) |
| 2012 | Grammar Carlton (1) |
| 2013 | Pakuranga United (1) |
| 2014 | University (18) |
| 2015 | Grammar TEC (1) |
| 2016 |
Suburbs (3) |
| 2017 |
University (19) |
| 2018 |
Ponsonby (45) |
| 2019 |
Ponsonby (46) |
| 2020 |
Season abandoned due to COVID-19 |
| 2021 |
Eden (1) |
| 2022 |
Manukau (3) |
| 2023 |
Manukau (4) |
| 2024 |
Ponsonby (47) |
| 2025 |
Ponsonby (48) |
| 2026 |
University (20) |
Championships by club
1883–1921
| Rank |
Club |
Championships |
Most recent |
| 1 | Ponsonby | 11 | 1913 |
| 2 | City | 8 | 1911 |
| 3= | Grafton | 5 | 1921 |
| 3= | Parnell | 5 | 1896 |
| 5= | Newton | 3 | 1904 |
| 5= | University | 3 | 1918 |
| 7 | Marist | 2 | 1915 |
| 8= | College Rifles | 1 | 1919 |
| 8= | Gordon | 1 | 1889 |
| 8= | Grammar | 1 | 1920 |
| 8= | North Shore | 1 | 1899 |
| 8= | Railway | 1 | 1917 |
Gallaher Shield era (1922–present)
| Rank |
Club |
Championships |
Most recent |
| 1 | Ponsonby | 37 | 2025 |
| 2 | University | 17 | 2026 |
| 3= | Marist | 9 | 1996 |
| 3= | Otahuhu | 9 | 2000 |
| 5 | Grammar | 8 | 1972 |
| 6= | Waitemata | 4 | 2003 |
| 6= |
Manukau |
4 |
2023 |
| 7= |
Suburbs |
3 |
2016 |
| 9= | Grafton | 2 | 1946 |
| 9= |
Grammar Carlton/TEC |
2 |
2015 |
| 9= | Takapuna | 2 | 1980 |
| 9= | Teachers Eastern | 2 | 1999 |
| 13= |
College Rifles |
1 |
1964 |
| 13= |
Eden |
1 |
2021 |
| 13= | Garrison | 1 | 1943 |
| 13= | M.T.P. (Motor Transport Pool) | 1 | 1942 |
| 13= | Pakuranga United | 1 | 2013 |
| 13= | Papakura Army | 1 | 1941 |
| 13= | Technical | 1 | 1935 |
| 13= | Whenuapai | 1 | 1945 |
1883–present
| Rank |
Club |
Championships |
Most recent |
| 1 | Ponsonby | 48 | 2025 |
| 2 | University | 20 | 2026 |
| 3 | Marist | 11 | 1996 |
| 4= | Grammar | 9 | 1972 |
| 4= | Otahuhu | 9 | 2000 |
| 6 | City | 8 | 1911 |
| 7 | Grafton | 7 | 1946 |
| 8 | Parnell | 5 | 1896 |
| 9= | Waitemata | 4 | 2003 |
| 9= | Manukau | 4 | 2023 |
| 10= |
Suburbs |
3 |
2016 |
| 10= | Newton | 3 | 1904 |
| 13= | College Rifles | 2 | 1964 |
| 13= | Takapuna | 2 | 1980 |
| 13= | Teachers Eastern | 2 | 1999 |
| 16= | Eden | 1 | 2021 |
| 16= | Garrison | 1 | 1943 |
| 16= | Gordon | 1 | 1889 |
| 16= | Grammar Carlton | 1 | 2012 |
| 16= | Grammar TEC | 1 | 2015 |
| 16= | M.T.P. (Motor Transport Pool) | 1 | 1942 |
| 16= | North Shore | 1 | 1899 |
| 16= | Papakura Army | 1 | 1941 |
| 16= | Pakuranga United | 1 | 2013 |
| 16= | Railway | 1 | 1917 |
| 16= | Technical | 1 | 1935 |
| 16= | Whenuapai | 1 | 1945 |
References
Rugby union in Auckland |
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| Super Rugby teams | |
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| NPC teams | |
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| Local competitions | |
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| Local teams | |
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2026 Gallaher Shield
New Zealand (NZR)